December 18, 2014Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency in AdultsJamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH reviewing LeFevre ML. Ann Intern Med 2014 Nov 25.The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening for vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic adults.Sponsoring Organization: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Target Audience: Primary care providers
Background and Objective
Low serum levels of vitamin D have been associated with elevated risk for a number of adverse outcomes, including fractures. In this statement, the USPSTF evaluates evidence on screening for vitamin D deficiency in community-dwelling adults treated in primary care settings who have no signs or symptoms of vitamin D deficiency and no conditions for which vitamin D is recommended.
Key Points
Although several tests are available to measure serum vitamin D levels, their accuracy is unknown; no clear consensus exists on a threshold that defines vitamin D deficiency, but commonly cited thresholds are 20 and 30 ng/mL for total serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Causes of vitamin D deficiency include low vitamin D intake and little or no sun exposure; obesity and darker skin pigmentation also are potential causes, but whether these factors are associated with adverse clinical outcomes is unclear.
Evidence is adequate that
treatment of patients with asymptomatic vitamin D deficiency does not improve outcomes with regard to cancer, type 2 diabetes, risk for fractures, or risk for death. The harms of treating patients with vitamin D deficiency are small to none. The USPSTF concludes that evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for vitamin D deficiency (I statement).
Comment
Although rates of testing for vitamin D deficiency and rates of outpatient visits for vitamin D deficiency have risen substantially, the USPSTF finds
no compelling evidence that screening for vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic adults is beneficial. This guideline does not trump a previous statement in which the USPSTF recommended vitamin D supplementation (and exercise) for preventing falls in community-dwelling older adults (age, ≥65) who are at high risk for falls.
Editor Disclosures at Time of Publication
Citation(s):
LeFevre ML.
Screening for vitamin D deficiency in adults: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2014 Nov 25; [e-pub ahead of print]. (Δεν είναι ορατοί οι σύνδεσμοι (links).
Εγγραφή ή
Είσοδος)
- See more at: Δεν είναι ορατοί οι σύνδεσμοι (links).
Εγγραφή ή
Είσοδος